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Sri Lanka - first independent trip. Introduction and tips

Sri Lanka on your own by car. East coast and main attractions. Detailed report, routes, useful tips, recommendations, coordinates, prices, photos, videos.

This is not the first time we have traveled independently, but the trip to Sri Lanka was special. We have never seen such exoticism before!
After returning from Sri Lanka, I published a short video about our trip. And I was simply bombarded with questions: how did we decide to travel independently around Sri Lanka? How did you book the car? What roads are there? Which hotels did we stay in in Sri Lanka, and which did you like best? How much did this trip cost us? What is the weather like in Sri Lanka in summer? Was the ocean very stormy and did it rain a lot? And so on. Therefore, I decided to write a detailed report, which I hope will benefit those who are just planning their trip to this beautiful, picturesque, exotic island SRI LANKA.

The video itself:

Our reasons for this island were:

  • basic visa obtaining
  • the country is very interesting, exotic, we have never been to such countries before
  • there are a lot of attractions here, and at the same time you can sunbathe and swim in the ocean
  • lots of fruits and seafood
  • Sri Lanka has a very interesting, rich and diverse fauna
  • lowest flight cost compared to nearby countries at this time of year (India, Thailand, etc.)

In general, we wanted something exotic, and Sri Lanka was just perfect in all respects.

Preparing for an independent trip to Sri Lanka, planning a route

In fact, my preparation for independent travel consists of the following stages:

First of all, I began to study the reports of other independent travelers, at the same time look for flight options, find out about car rental in Sri Lanka, hotel prices, visas, and ultimately sketched out our route. Initially it looked like this:

Later the route changed, and we changed it directly on the island, the final route looks like this (elephant ears):

Unfortunately, Google maps only allows you to mark 10 points, so the route is not entirely complete. You can see it on Google maps

When drawing up the route, I relied on various tourist maps of Sri Lanka, such as this one:

You can download the tourist map of Sri Lanka

In the car, an audio guide to Sri Lanka will be useful, which you can download and burn to disk. We listened from the IPAD, it was very inconvenient.

Our route and plan for an independent trip to Sri Lanka with coordinates, distances, descriptions of roads and prices for attractions

July 13

Arrival at 5 a.m. Bandaranaike International Airport(Colombo) (coordinates 7.172866, 79.886837) http://www.airport.lk

Currency exchange at the airport, buy a SIM card from the local operator DIALOG, get a rented car near the airport, go to the beach near Negombo (coordinates 7.29067°, 79.84075°) distance: 22 km

Supermarket in Negombo: 7.212974, 79.844089

After the beach we go to our hotel Hotel Elephant Park located near the elephant nursery in Pinavella(coordinates 7.300964, 80.384515) (detailed review will be here later)

distance: 75 km (the road is good, but in some places there are road repairs, traffic jams)

the 14 th of July

Feeding and bathing elephants. It’s better to do this at 8-30, when the first group of elephants is brought, because at 10-00 there will be a lot of tourists, and you can only watch from the sidelines. We made an appointment for breakfast at 8:00 and were ready by 8:30.

Then we go to Anuradhapura(ancient capital of Sri Lanka), hotel Hotel Alakamanda(coordinates 8.308615, 80.416954) (detailed review will be here later)

distance: 140 km (at first the road is of poor quality, but most of the way is an excellent road, not very busy with cars)

Supermarket in Anuradhapura Cargills Food City Anuradhapura(8.331505, 80.408998)

Dinner at the hotel. We didn't find a decent restaurant in Anuradhapura.

July 15

Visit to the old town Anuradhapura(UNESCO),

Keep in mind that in all holy places you must walk without shoes, your shoulders and knees must be covered, and hats must be removed. If the clothes do not match, then at the entrance you will be given a piece of white fabric as a skirt. See-through pareos are also not suitable.

Ruwanwelisaya Stupa(large beautiful white Buddha temple) (8.350053, 80.396373)
Parking near the stupa: 8.352070, 80.398433 (paid 50 rupees for parking)

There is another one nearby Jethawanaramaya Dagoba Stupa(8.351555, 80.403653) you can walk to it through the park, it is visible from the parking lot.

From white Ruwanwelisaya Stupa you can walk to tree BO Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (8.344891, 80.397350)

or by car, parking: 8.343325, 80.396298 (free)

There are many other attractions in and around Anuradhapura such as Mihintale(8.350703, 80.516939), but a few hours were enough for us to see the main attractions, we really wanted to go to the ocean, and we went to our next hotel on the east coast of Sri Lanka Anantamaa Hotel — Trinocomali(coordinates 8.615064, 81.217862) (a detailed review of the hotel will be here later)

It is located on a wide beach Uppuveli ( Uppuveli) .

distance: 110 km, the road is of very good quality, not congested with traffic. The area is very picturesque, very pleasant to drive. Judging by the “Beware of Elephants” signs, you may encounter elephants, but we didn’t come across any.

Somewhere in this area: 8.628082, 81.038672 or a little further look to the right - an amazingly beautiful place, a corner of wildlife with many large white birds

We didn’t find a good parking lot; we simply parked the car along the road, but because everything was packed, we had to park it quite far from the entrance to Peradeniya Park.

Entrance fees: 1100 RS – adults, 550 – children (up to 12 years old)

The park is not as big as we expected, 2-3 hours is enough. We took our time and walked longer.

Cargills Food City supermarket on the way to the botanical garden: 7.270860, 80.604753

July 22

Kandy - Nuwara Eliya via Ramboda distance: 85 km, the road is of excellent quality, but mountainous - serpentines, turns, descents, ascents.

Observation deck near the hotel Tea Bush Ramboda— view of the valley and 3 waterfalls at once: (7.057057, 80.695512) I really liked it! If you have the opportunity to stay at this hotel for a day, stay, you won’t regret it! The views from all hotel rooms are simply stunning!

Mackwoods Labookellie Tea Center— free excursion to the factory, tea tasting (7.024591, 80.718871) Tea is quite expensive, cheaper in supermarkets and at the airport. True, I have not come across this particular brand.

Waterfall St. Claire observation deck St. Clair Viewing Gallery (6.947449, 80.645657)

distance from Nuwara Eliya to St. Waterfall Clair round trip: 50 km, the road is of excellent quality, but mountainous - serpentines, turns, descents, ascents.

The distance from Nuwara Eliya to Pasikuda is 200 km, at first the road is good, but mountainous, but the section of the A5 highway 150 kilometers after Nuwara Eliya is simply terrible, the worst road we came across in Sri Lanka. In total we drove for 5 hours, although with stops to feed the monkeys

Victoria Game Reserve, Randenigala Reservoir (7.196473, 80.920842) Take something for the monkeys, they beg along the road and on the bridges 7.148932, 80.884081

July 24-25

And of course, use THIS map of Sri Lanka from Google.

Search and book flights to Sri Lanka

Hotels and guesthouses in Sri Lanka. What is better - to book in advance or already on the spot?

In this post I will tell you about independent holiday in Sri Lanka. And this is a curious and not so “hackneyed” place in southern Asia - the island of Sri Lanka, which, in my opinion, will soon achieve no less popularity among our tourists than, for example, Thailand. In the article below you will find out information about holidays in Sri Lanka, how to independently organize a trip to this tropical island, what is the best and cheapest way to fly here, about flight from Moscow to Colombo, and I will also dwell in more detail on one of the most popular resorts in Ceylon - Bentota.

Getting to know Sri Lanka or relaxing in Ceylon

First, some general information and location: the island is located in southern Asia, off the southeast coast of India. Sri Lanka has a rather interesting history, which, coupled with the local flavor and mild tropical climate, makes the island a tasty morsel for visiting and relaxing for thousands of tourists from all over the world. Thus, according to statistics, the number of tourists visiting Ceylon is gradually increasing and growing from year to year; tourism plays a significant role in the economy of the state. By the way, holidays in Sri Lanka can be called seasonal and the most favorable time for travel is the period from September to February.

Let's figure out why the mysterious and mysterious island of Ceylon is so attractive and look at the pros and cons of holidays in Sri Lanka. First of all, the undeniable advantage of a holiday in a former British colony is its exoticism. Yes, Egypt, Turkey, and even exotic Thailand are already boring for many, but here something unknown and interesting-sounding “Sri Lanka” appears on the “horizon”. By the way, it really does sound very mysterious.

Secondly, the previously mentioned rich history of the island sets Sri Lanka apart from others; there is something to see and something to do besides a classic beach holiday. Any local resident will tell you that to get acquainted with the culture and history of the state, you should definitely visit the ancient city of Kandy with the Temple of the Tooth Relic, climb the sacred Mount Sigiriya (which on a hot day can be an impossible task), personally see the Nuwara Eliya tea plantations and the botanical garden Piradeniya.

And thirdly, one cannot fail to note the point regarding the travel budget: Sri Lanka offers tourists a relatively inexpensive vacation at more than adequate prices. The largest part of the cost when traveling to Ceylon is incurred by air tickets, which is why in the future we will try to figure out how to get to this exotic island cheaper.

Disadvantages of holidays in Sri Lanka

Relative disadvantages of holidays in Sri Lanka The following points can be considered:

  • a long flight (about 10 hours) if you fly from Moscow to the capital Colombo, often with a transfer in Dubai (or maybe this is a plus, there is an opportunity to “stock up” at the local Duty-Free?!). If you are visiting from other regions of South or Southeast Asia or like to fly by plane (as an option), then cross out this item.
  • There are virtually no luxury hotels on the island, as well as the presence of exclusively public beaches. On this point, I will say the following: in my opinion, slightly different things play a role in the quality of rest. And this does not mean that the resorts in Sri Lanka have terrible hotels and a lack of service, not at all.

Thus, we “walked the rink” and touched on the topic of holidays in Ceylon, now we can draw some conclusions. You need to go to Sri Lanka for delicious tea, paradoxically cheap precious stones, delicious seafood, exotic fruits, romantic evenings on the ocean, absolute peace and finding your own harmony. Wow!

How to organize a trip to Sri Lanka on your own

So, after you have finally decided that you are going to spend your vacation on this mysterious tropical island, which is located not far from India, the next question logically arises - what is better: go on a tour package or travel to Sri Lanka on your own.

There can be no consensus on this issue; it all depends on you, on your preferences, travel experience and knowledge of the language, and ultimately your available budget. In general, it should be said that tours to Ceylon are not as wildly popular as, for example, to Egypt, Thailand or Bali, which is why charter flights do not fly here from Russia. In many ways, therefore, the point of buying a tour to Sri Lanka disappears - there is no direct air service between Moscow and Colombo and, at best, you will have to fly with one transfer on a regular flight of one of the airlines. I would advise vacationing here on a package holiday only to those who have no experience of traveling abroad and who cannot connect a few words in English :-). If you do not fit into these two categories, then you can yourself organize your holiday in Sri Lanka. When choosing an independent trip other than a package, you will receive the following advantages:

  • freedom of action, independence from time and dates (during departure, at the hotel, etc.);
  • You create your own holiday;
  • you can find a hotel to suit your taste, based on your goals and wishes: a cheaper one, or a luxury villa;
  • it is possible to find a cheaper flight;
  • plan your travel route at your discretion: if you want, you can fly to the Maldives and back, or you can, for example, visit India on the way home and admire the majestic Taj Mahal in Agra or other numerous local attractions;

Flights from Moscow to Colombo or how to fly to Sri Lanka

When purchasing an air ticket, first of all, you should decide where to look for it: through agencies, on airline websites, or on airline ticket search sites. Personally, I prefer to search and buy air tickets using meta-search engines, for example, and book hotels through a special service. Why, you ask? Firstly, you don’t need to go anywhere or climb dozens of pages on the Internet: you entered the necessary data into the flight ticket search form and woo-a-la! The search engine will find the best flight option according to your search conditions within a few seconds. The second advantage is that they work only with proven and reliable airline ticket sales agencies: offers are sought from 720 reputable airlines around the world. The third plus is the prices for air tickets, which can be found through such search engines, often lower than directly from the airline! Yes, you can buy Moscow-Colombo air tickets even cheaper. It often turns out that ticket prices when booking through a search engine are cheaper than on the websites of the airlines themselves. Why? Yes, because airlines themselves provide discounts to agencies that sell air tickets, everything is very simple. For the sake of an experiment, I decided to check whether this rule would apply in our case, when searching for air tickets from Moscow to Colombo.

I present to your attention a scan from the Emirates airline website; they offer a flight to Sri Lanka for 30,017 rubles.


And this is the price of air tickets that the Aviasales search engine found: the same Emirates flight, but cheaper for 29,167 rubles. This is what I say to you, just for greater clarity, so as not to seem like idle talk.


It is for these reasons that I myself always book air tickets when necessary. By the way, you can also read my article about that, I explained everything there very clearly and in detail.

When is the best time to fly to Sri Lanka?

We figured out the season - from September to February is the best time. It turns out that Sri Lanka is ideal for winter, for example in December, January or February. But I suggest taking into account not only the season, but also the prices. Also, to search for air tickets, you can use the form below and find for yourself the best flight option to Sri Lanka along the route. Below is an interactive form in which prices for air tickets from Moscow to Colombo are constantly updated. Thanks to this form you can find the cheapest tickets to Sri Lanka:

Let’s move on: we’ve figured out where and how to buy tickets to Sri Lanka, now you need to decide which airline is best to fly to Ceylon. As I mentioned earlier, there are no direct flights from Moscow (and even more so from other cities) to Colombo (the capital of Sri Lanka), so in any case you will have to fly with transfers.

Next, when choosing a ticket and airline, everything depends on your goals and preferences: either you need to fly as cheaply as possible, or with more comfort and convenience, which will naturally be more expensive. You can fly to Sri Lanka as cheaply as possible with budget airlines like Air Arabia or Fly Dubai. Convenient and comfortable - rich Arabs Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad. In general, I want to say that each choice of air tickets is a very individual case and in no case can you “shave everyone under the same brush”: a lot depends not only on the price, but also on the time of departure, parking, airline, etc. and so on. If you have any questions about choosing air tickets and flying from Moscow to Colombo, you can ask them in the form of comments at the end of the article and I will try to answer them.


Bentota Resort - Paradise in Sri Lanka

Bentota, a resort in the southwest of Ceylon, is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful and romantic places on the island.

Bentota is located 65 kilometers south of Colombo, the capital of the island, on the coast of the Indian Ocean. Tourists coming here, especially in winter, from October to April, will be able to enjoy warm water and relax on the golden sandy beach. At this time, the water and air temperatures here are uniformly warm. In addition to the calm turquoise ocean, you can also swim in the rivers that flow around Bentota. And thanks to the palm groves that approach the water itself, the hot sun will not disturb you to relax and unwind. There are a large number of hotels on the coast, each of which tries to offer its tourists maximum comfort and convenience. You will also be pleased by the sincere cordiality of the service staff. If you love peace and quiet, or are on a romantic vacation (for example, on a honeymoon), then you should choose a beach in the north of Bentota - Paradise. However, for lovers of noise, fun and active recreation, the southern beaches are more suitable.

If you are a supporter of active recreation, then at the Bentota resort you will be offered absolutely all known water sports, including: windsurfing, scuba diving and water skiing, as well as sailing, tennis and hunting. And while diving you can enjoy not only the rich world of flora and fauna, but also the unique spectacle of sunken ships (the most famous diving center in Bentota is Confifi Marina).

Once in Bentota, you can not only relax on the beach, but also take part in a bright and colorful costume folklore show. This is a kind of masquerade in which all its participants dress up in beautiful costumes, making the audience admire their beauty and diversity. And many other dance shows and concerts will not let you get bored while visiting this resort.

Among the attractions located in the vicinity of Bentota, it is worth visiting the turtle farm. As local legend says, turtles took a direct part in the creation of the world, so they are highly revered here. There are also many Buddhist temples around Bentota that will make you admire their unique and mysterious statues and paintings. The most famous of them are Vanavasa Raya Vihara and Galapata Vihara. They will even tell you a legend that these two sanctuaries are connected by an underground passage. In general, there are many different ancient legends and legends about Bentota.

Gold sandy beaches, palm trees with coconuts, stunning coral gardens, fish of the most original and bright colors - believe me, it’s definitely worth visiting here and spending an unforgettable independent holiday in Sri Lanka.

Friends, hello everyone!

Everyone wants to visit Sri Lanka and see as much as possible, shine in, if not all, then almost all places and leave the imprint of their luxurious foot on every pristine coast of this paradise.

Believe me, you are not the only one. But I will immediately have to disappoint you. Sorry.

To do something like this - daring and noble , it’s worth going to Sri Lanka for at least a month. Pack a backpack with the essentials, put on a hat and sandals and hit the road.

A pilgrim jumping from one bus to another, falling asleep on snow-white beaches under the rustling waves and fighting the locals’ addictions to spicy food and harsh carelessness.

Personally, we had 10 nights to do everything. This is dust, if we take into account the fact that we were with a bunch of children and the desire to get wet on the coast for several days, giving our mortal body to be torn to pieces by the waves.

So my route smacked of rationalism and haste. And, as you will find out after your trip to Ceylon, these are two concepts that have not taken root here at all.

Trincomallee

The next morning, cheerful and acclimatized, we rushed straight to Trincomalli. At lunchtime we were already there. Luxury hotel literally for pennies for Uppaveli - $40 per room.

We won’t argue about “cheap versus expensive” now—I left the review of hotels and prices for later. Read more about this in my article « » .

Here I will only say that the hotel was very, very successful. Breakfast, a swimming pool, and the sea are just steps away. The kids were just screaming.

For 5 days we devoted ourselves to the sea and relaxation, and having gained strength and energy, we rushed deep into the island to explore the unknown.

Pinavella

Another serious forced march awaited us from Trincomalli to Pinavella. We left at 11.00, but with stops along the way and a detour around the highway being repaired, we arrived at the place at 19.00. And in Sri Lanka it is already late evening - darkness and emptiness on the streets.

But our main program was planned for the lesson.

We spend the night alone in a very decent hotel behind $38 in a junior suite per family .

Nuwara Eliya and Ella

The journey from Pinavella to Nuwara Eliya, again with stops at a waterfall and tea plantations, took about 6 hours. At 17.00 we checked into cheapest housing , which we could find in Nuwara Eliya in a decent location.

$15 for family room and a chilly night under a warm blanket was guaranteed for us.

At around 11:00 we left Nuwara Eliya for the most beautiful scenic train ride. At 15.00 we were in Ella. Here we got a lot decent living conditions with the most gorgeous view.

In addition, the hostess here prepared the most delicious breakfast for us during our trip. $25 for a family room.

Negombo

The next morning at 12.00 we set out for Negombo. The journey was not long and we wanted to leave early, but given the composition of the group - women + children - we left at 12.00.

Therefore, the planned stop at Ratnapura did not happen. Having only had lunch along the way and made a couple of stops for landscape photography, we arrived in Negombo around 19.00.

This is where we spent our last night in a deserted hotel for $35 per night .

We booked all hotels in advance using services Hotellook.ru And Booking.com.

We did not pay a penny in advance and all prices fully corresponded to those indicated in the confirmations. I specifically took printouts with me to be prepared for an unequal battle with “floating prices” from the owners and unaccounted taxes, but everything went smoothly and without a hitch.

They paid in rupees, and if there was not enough, they paid in dollars at the reasonable rate.

Methods for getting around Sri Lanka

Considering the composition and size of the group, I clearly understood that cowboy buses and semi-new trains were not going to happen to us. Renting 2 cars also seemed like a bad idea.

Firstly, it was not so profitable, and secondly, all this chaos on the roads and driving on the left would hardly have contributed to our rapid movement around the city. I don't think even insurance would help.

The option of renting a minibus with a driver was also not suitable, although it seemed to be the most optimal option. Despite the price, we would be able to get to all the places we need, being very mobile.

But one circumstance got in the way - we were going to hang out in Trincomalli for 5 days and it was not entirely clear what to do with the driver and how to deal with payment. We don't really need to go anywhere there. There are no excursions there, only the sea, relaxation and a fruit and rice diet.

Where did we book our transfer?

And hiring a driver in Trincomallee was also not so easy. This business is not developed there and in any case you will have to pay for the driver who will rush to you from Colombo.

In short, at the final stage the movement plan looked like this:

  • Airport – Dambula: transfer from Kiwi-taxi
  • Dambula – Trincomallee: regular bus (from Colombo or Kandy), and then take a local bus or tuk-tuk to Uppaveli (about 6 km)
  • Trincomallee – Pinavella: bus to Colombo, transfer to Polgahavela by tuk-tuk (ride about 15 km)
  • Pinavella – Nuwara Eliya: transfer from Kiwi-taxi
  • Nuwara Eliya - Ella: local bass + train
  • Ella – Negombo: transfer from Kiwi-taxi
  • Negombo – Airport: transfer from Kiwi-taxi.

Now comes the funny part. All 3 last transfers were carried out by the same driver! Since he came to Pinavella for us, we practically never parted with him. Moreover, he really helped us by agreeing to carry 2 heavy bags in his trunk while we traveled lightly around Nuwara Eliya and Ella.

If you are not eager to plan everything yourself and arrange such a trip on transfers like we did. Then here's a great option for you. 10 day tour only $60 per person! Well, this, of course, does not include accommodation and entrance tickets.

What did you visit during your trip?

Dambula

We only managed to cave temple. But the walk was gorgeous and very memorable.
The next day, on the way, at the driver’s suggestion, we stopped at Spice Garden (there are enough of them on every road) at the exit from Dambula towards Trincomalli and to the jewelry factory before reaching the turn to Sigiriya.

In itself Sigiriya didn't stop by. It’s time-consuming, and for children, such climbing uphill in the heat may not seem like the height of fun.

In the Spice Garden, we skimped on a decent amount, but didn’t spend money on jewelry. Although, if you decide to buy something, then I think this is a very suitable place. Just for fun, I managed to halve the price of a beautiful ring.

To which the saleswoman replied: “Sir, don’t worry! “Money is not the problem.” Soothing))

Trincomallee

Here we swam at Upavelli and Nilavelli, went to the morning chasing whales , snorkeled on pigeon island and went to Trincomalli themselves to Frederick Fort and the Koneshwarum temple. But mostly the rest was more about seals.

Pinavella

Here elephants rule the roost . On the way, our driver takes us to a private elephant farm near a lake in the village of Habarana, which is located a little further from Sigiriya. Here we rode elephants.

Once in Pinavella itself, in the morning we saw young elephant calves go for a swim, and then we fell into the hands of an enterprising entrepreneur and once again rode the elephants and washed with him in the river.

We didn’t go to the elephant nursery itself because we didn’t have enough time.

Nuwara Eliya

We stopped near Ramboda waterfall and stopped by 2 tea plantations Glenloch and Blue Fields. In the city itself we decided to take a walk along the streets, but there was a serious downpour.

The next day, before heading off by train to Ella, we managed to stop by to Queen Victoria Park.

Ella

In the evening we took a breathtaking trip to Ravana waterfall, and the next morning we went to bridge "9 arches" and on Little Adam's Peak.

Negombo

On the way, we passed magnificent landscapes from the raid Haputale and the city Ratnapuru , famous for its mines for the extraction of precious stones. Well, in Negombo itself, especially in the evening, there was nothing much to do.

Well, in general terms I outlined to you our route and our train of thought. In continuation, I will tell you about our mistakes, the changes that we had to make during the trip and you before leaving for Sri Lanka.

So don't miss out. Subscribe to updates and you will always be in the know!

Sri Lanka is a wonderful island and state of the same name in the Indian Ocean, located not far from India and the Maldives. People come here for a quiet and inexpensive holiday, away from noisy cities and stony faces. The local population is always happy to see foreigners, warmly welcomes everyone and does everything possible to make everyone feel comfortable here. There are not many vacationers in Sri Lanka, so nature has still retained its pristineness and individuality. Watching sunsets on one of the cleanest beaches of the island is simply an indescribable experience, for which it is worth flying several thousand kilometers from your home.

You can go to Sri Lanka on your own at any time of the year. The island can be roughly divided into two climatic parts: northeastern and southwestern. In the northeastern part it is better to relax from May to September, and in the southwestern part from October to February. In other months there is a rainy season, but even at this time you can have a good rest on the island: the rains are usually heavy, but not long-lasting, and the weather is sunny most of the day. The “high season” (the most popular among tourists) lasts from November to February.

An independent holiday in Sri Lanka can be very cheap; prices for food, things, hotels, and transport are very low; the main cost item is air tickets. How to get to the island cheaper is written below. Organizing your vacation will not take much time, but thanks to this you will be able to get a lot of different adventures and simply interesting events that will be remembered for a lifetime, and this is something that a vacation from a travel agency cannot boast of.

Sri Lanka enchants with its beautiful nature, clean beaches and historical attractions. The culture of local peoples is very rich and dates back many centuries. On the island there is the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, the name of which suggests that it houses the tooth of Buddha, one of the most revered Buddhist shrines. Now let's move on to tips and tricks, as well as specific steps for organizing your own trip.

Flights

First, let's look at how to fly to your vacation spot quickly, comfortably and inexpensively. Air tickets to Sri Lanka are the largest expense item for most travelers. A round-trip ticket (departing in Moscow) for one person costs from 340 euros. The cheapest flights are with a transfer (most often in Dubai, UAE).

I recommend buying tickets to Sri Lanka on the website. This is an air ticket search engine (like Yandex or Google, only it specializes in searching for tickets), which finds inexpensive options. You can get to Sri Lanka very easily and quickly with it. It is unlikely that you will be able to find tickets cheaper than on Aviasales, and you will save a lot of time, since you will not need to go to all airline websites and compare prices and comfort levels, this service will do everything for you.

The fastest flight from Moscow to Ceylon (as Sri Lanka was previously called) will take 10 hours and 30 minutes, a regular flight with a transfer will require an average of 14-18 hours (for St. Petersburg the flight lasts 1-1.5 hours longer) . You can also fly away on vacation from most major cities in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Almost all planes arrive at Colombo International Airport (Colombo, Sri Lanka).

Calendar of low prices for air tickets

Check airfare prices:

Hotels

Find a cheap hotel from RoomGuru right now:

Rental of property

A rented house or apartment is also a good option for living in Sri Lanka. In some cases, renting an apartment will be cheaper than booking a hotel room, especially if more than 5 people are flying on vacation. The best service for renting housing abroad is. All its features are written about. As you can understand, an independent trip involves many different options for organizing it; decide which one to choose for yourself, based on your needs and capabilities.

To rent a place on Airbnb, you need to follow a few steps:

  • Log in and indicate the destination and dates you are interested in.
  • Register on the site by carefully reading the Terms and Conditions. This will help avoid misunderstandings or ambiguities when booking apartments.
  • Fill out the form and participant profile. Indicate your real, reliable data, because the issue of trust and respect is the main one.
  • Fully and carefully specify the booking details; this will determine how comfortable your trip to Sri Lanka will be.
  • After the trip, be sure to leave a truthful review - whether the proposed conditions corresponded to reality, what you liked and what you should pay attention to next time.

The main reason why many tourists prefer Airbnb is the price of accommodation. Renting budget accommodation in Sri Lanka on Renby is as easy as shelling pears. Every day, thousands of users visit the site, post tempting cheap offers for renting apartments, look for accommodation options, communicate, and exchange experiences. Booking is done independently.

Required documents

To visit the island you need a visa; you can apply online on the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) website. They will make their decision (to issue you a visa or not) within 24 hours or a little longer. If the decision is positive (and it almost always is), then you will need to pay 30 euros by credit card, and then print out the received document (it will need to be presented at the airport upon arrival).

Here are the documents you will be required to present at border control:

  • A passport valid for more than 6 months at the end of the trip
  • Completed migration card (filled out in English, issued on the plane or upon arrival at the airport)
  • Printout of Electronic Visa Acknowledgment (ETA)
  • Return ticket
  • Availability of funds sufficient to stay in the country (both cash and a bank account statement can serve as such confirmation)

In general, you can get a visa at the airport upon arrival, but the process is extremely long and you will have to pay 5 euros more than for an online visa application. So it’s better to take care of this in advance, especially if you are not a freelancer (working from home), and your vacation is strictly limited in time.

Attractions

Traveling independently in Sri Lanka can be very diverse; people come here not only for the cleanest beaches. On the island, most of the attractions are historical buildings and national parks. Just look at Adam’s Peak, which is considered sacred for four religions at once, because, according to one version, Adam’s foot set foot here, and according to another, Buddha’s. I will list the main attractions of Ceylon:

  • Adam's Peak
  • Sigiriya (mountain)
  • Dambulla (cave temple complex)
  • Kandy (one of the holy Buddhist cities)
  • Kumana National Reserve

You can rent a car and go to explore interesting places in comfort, spending a minimum of time. If this is what you want, then visit the website. By car you can easily travel to all parts of the island.

Cost of holiday

Although Sri Lanka is an inexpensive country to travel to, the cost of air tickets is quite high, so your vacation budget will not be too small. But keep in mind that only you yourself determine how much you will spend on travel; you can always save a lot, or, conversely, if your funds allow, buy whatever you like. I will give the main cost items for an average vacation to Sri Lanka (2 people, 1 week, flight from Moscow):

  • Round-trip flights = 700 €
  • Hotel room = 350 €
  • Food = 100 €
  • Public transport = 30 €
  • Local SIM card = 15 €
  • Purchases = 100 €
  • Visa = 30 €

Total travel price = 1325 €. This amount can be significantly reduced. You just have to sacrifice some of the comfort and spend a little more time searching for air tickets, but if you wish, you can relax on this island for 800 €, although such a budget will work out if you use the services of low-cost airlines (low-cost airlines) and, but in this case it’s realistic to fly to Sri Lanka Lanka is very cheap. And with the money saved you can go on another trip.

How to save money

It is possible to save on travel and stay with the same comfort, but it will require additional time to choose the right places to relax and perform certain actions. You can find out how to travel on a budget in my guide, it says how to visit countries around the world, spending only $40-60 per day, however, this type of vacation is not suitable for everyone, but as additional information it will be useful to everyone .

And now what you need to know about saving money on travel:

One of the best places to relax in Sri Lanka is the resort. This is a picturesque and tranquil place suitable for most travelers to the island. A trip to this place will bring only positive emotions. I recommend reading the detailed description of this place at the link above, it also contains tips that apply to any place in Ceylon.

After reading this article, you have learned how to travel to Sri Lanka on your own. Start booking accommodation and buying air tickets right now, life is wonderful, you need to see the diversity of this world with your own eyes. You will succeed. Good luck!

Sri Lanka visa

To visit Sri Lanka for tourism purposes, citizens of Russia and the CIS must obtain an Electronic Travel Permit (ETA) or Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) - Tourist ETA visa. This can be done via the Internet on the website of the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka. It's very simple, you just need to go to the website and follow the instructions in Russian - fill out an individual or group form, pay, after a while you will receive a confirmation by e-mail. It is best to print out the confirmation and take it with you on your trip. The cost of a monthly visa is $20. You can also get a visa on arrival, it will cost a little more - $25. Before your trip, check the Sri Lanka Embassy website for the latest information regarding visas, as well as the independent travelers forum.

Hotels in Sri Lanka

There is one peculiarity of the hotel business in Sri Lanka. In many hotels, the price from the “street” may be higher than online. If you are faced with such a situation, you can always use free wifi and book a room directly at the hotel through the system.

Transport in Sri Lanka

On this route we used the following transport (for 5 people):

  • Minivan Colombo -> Polonnaruwa (rented upon arrival at the airport, as usual there is no bargaining at the airport, prices are too high, the alternative is to go to Colombo and rent a car there, wasting time)

  • Tuk-Tuk in Polonnaruwa (offered by the guesthouse owner, after some haggling they agreed)

  • Car Polonnaruwa -> Sigiriya (rented through the guesthouse owner)

  • Minivan Sigiriya -> Perediya -> Pinnawela -> Nuwara Eliya (rented via tuk-tuk in Sigiriya, 16,000 rupees, 2 days)

  • Neighborhoods of Nuwara Eliya (rented a minivan at the cafe where we had breakfast, 5,000 rupees for the whole day)

  • Minivan Nuwara Eliya -> Nanu Oya railway station (rented on the main street of Nuwara Eliya, there is a parking lot for rental cars)

  • Train Nanu Oya -> Ella (tickets were purchased half an hour before departure, price from 2 to 10 $, depending on the class of carriage, 1st class (~3 $) is comparable in comfort to Aeroexpress trains to airports in Moscow)

  • Minivan Ella - Tangalle (rented on the main street of Ella, 8000 rupees, a dozen cars offer their transfer services to anywhere in the country. We agreed in advance with the driver that he would take us to hotels in Tangalle)

  • Local bus Tangalle -> Galle (ticket costs 140 rupees, if you sit down and do not ride standing during rush hour, then it is quite comfortable. They go quickly, the seats are located in two rows, one has two seats, the other has three. The distance between the seats is quite normal even for my height of 190 cm)

  • We returned from Tangalle to Marakolliya beach by minivan for 5,000 rupees, a tuk-tuk for the same route costs 4,000 rupees

  • Minivan from Marakolliya beach -> airport in Colombo (rented at the hotel, drive 4-5 hours)

For comparison, look at the prices for transfers from.

Transfer from Bandaranaike Airport (Colombo) to Polonnaruwa

Travel insurance for Sri Lanka

Beaches of Sri Lanka

If the main purpose of your trip is a beach holiday, then there is no need to go to Sri Lanka. There are many other places for a beach holiday, for example. A beach holiday in Sri Lanka can only be interesting as an addition to an excursion program; this combination is the main value of a holiday in Ceylon. If we talk about the southern and southwestern coast, where the season is considered to be from October to March, then in my opinion, the most beautiful beaches are east of the city of Tangalle. The beach, in my opinion, is a very good choice for 3-5 days at the beach.

Map of the route to Ella Rock

So, how to get to . First of all, we reach the railway and move along the sleepers towards Nuwara Eliya. After about an hour, before sign 166 1/2, you need to turn left onto the path (sharp turn). Continue across the bridge over the river and at the first fork go left up. Continue along the path without turning (sticking to the widest path) for about 20 minutes. Further past the tea plantation there is a slight (gentle) rise of 50 meters, then you will see a destroyed foundation with a wall on the left. Another climb and we reach the first observation deck before the steep climb. Then all the way up a steep climb with a height gain of about 200 m. And now, at the end of the path, there is an exit to the observation deck - with a view of the town of Ella (to the left) and the small Adam's Peak (straight ahead). The height of this place is about 1320 m.